Billy's Return
by julliet15
Summary: Just a oneshot that explores what was going on in Jane and Billy's heads during the summer premier. SPOILERS inside if you haven't watched the second half of season one. Jane/Billy for eva!


**Yay, the last day of school was today! Now I have all day to post fanfiction. Well, not really, since I'm going to my dad's school to be a teacher's aide for _their_ last week of school. Still, summer is summer.**

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Jane anxiously waited in her car for Billy to come walking down the sidewalk with his ridiculously handsome face grinning at her. She found herself constantly looking back at her rearview mirror to make sure her makeup looked attractive, which was weird since she was only seeing Billy. Billy had seen her in the most bedraggled state in the mornings when he came into her house for a ride. She would have her hair tussled like an overused mop and the remains of sleep would still cloud her eyes; not a speck of makeup would even be on her, yet she wouldn't care so long as it was just Billy who saw her. But now, she couldn't stand even having a hair out of place when she saw her best friend for the first time in two months. Why? If she didn't care before, why would she now?

Jane forgot her original train of thought when she spotted Billy. Running into his arms and breathing in all that was him felt so right. Being in his arms felt safe and secure, like being home.

Meanwhile Billy's mind was racing with hyperactive activity. What if she asked about what he said at the fashion show? When Jeremy showed up and Jane just stood their in perplexed confusion, a pang of fear pierced straight through Billy's former bravery. He simply chickened out and left Jane there, probably to hook up with her "totally gorgeous" coworker. Living in juvenile detention gave him time to reconsider taking the next level with Jane. If they did become romantically involved, who knew what would happen if things ended badly? Billy could possibly lose Jane forever, and he could _not_ handle that. He could barely stand to be away from her these past few months, let alone for the rest of his life. So, they would have to just stay friends and move on with their lives. It was better this way. No one would get hurt, and she'd stay his little Janey forever. Unless of course she found herself a new boyfriend, but frankly Billy didn't want to think about it.

Jane's intrusive questions hardly cheered Billy up. Juvenile detention was the last thing that he wanted to think about after he had just barely left. Then she started to bring up the "It's you" thing, which Billy was not capable of handling at the moment. So he brushed it off and turned the subject back over to her. However, Billy knew he couldn't put off this inevitable discussion forever…

All of a sudden, Jane was telling him that she was considering taking India's job and leaving hi- the school, the school. Not leaving him, the school. Billy felt really hurt that Jane would even let the thought enter her mind. Didn't all her time with him matter anything? He had barely gotten back, and he wasn't even close to readjusting to school life. How would he survive without his best friend? She was a traitor for thinking that he could. She was ditching him, and that was all there was to it.

Jane was feeling extremely conflicted at work. She wanted the position that India formerly had so, so badly. Yet, she couldn't help but feel wrong about it at the same time. Jeremy tried hard to encourage her, which Jane appreciated greatly. It was, after all, more than what Billy was doing at the moment. Then Jeremy mentioned the night of the fashion show. He assumed that the reason why she rejected him was because of Billy. That was a ridiculous notion. As if Jane had romantic feelings for Billy. It was just that Jeremy was a close friend and mentor, incapable of being a love interest. Their platonic relationship had little to nothing to do with Billy, or at least that was what Jane told herself. Frankly, if she were to admit it, Billy was a pretty big factor in her decision.

Billy's internal fury about Jane's possible departure and the mortifying fear that she would ask him about the night of the fashion show again caused his estrangement from her. It pained him to be so distant, but it wasn't any better to be near her. If she felt grown up enough to take on a promotion, then she certainly wouldn't need his help anymore. At least, that was what Billy thought when she first asked for him and Ben to cover for her while she ran off to do the job that she loved most. Then of course like any annoying adult would, Ben gave him perspective about how much the girl they both cared about needed their help. No, Ben was right. No matter how mad Billy was, it was no excuse to abandon Jane in her time of need.

In a way it was poetic justice for Billy when Jane embarrassed herself by rejecting a job that she wasn't even being offered, at least not yet. Although he would never admit it, Billy was ecstatic to know that Jane cared enough about him to give up the opportunity of a lifetime if given the chance. All the walls that he had erected to bar her from his true emotions were immediately bull dozed by her action.

Billy was relieved to see that Jane's dream job was safe and Ben's relationship was secure. He laid down next to her and put his arm around her like he always did. It felt good to do that, it was like old times. To make sure those old times could continue, Billy had to blatantly lie to his best friend about what he meant by "It's you." He felt bad, but he already knew that it couldn't be helped. She needed him as a faithful friend, not as a doting, cheesy boyfriend. Not that he was the type to be cheesy anyway. And he was being honest about how the thought of her was the only thing that pulled him through the mundane torture of juvenile detention.

It was just the two of them again. This thought crossed both of their minds, leaving the slight awkwardness that they had experienced before. The two of them together, alone, that was what they were used to. Only things were different now. The butterflies that had previously come from seeing school crushes now seemed to turn up when they saw each other. Something major had shifted their relationship, and it wasn't about to go away any time soon.

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**Jane By Design in my fav TV show of all time, so it's a wonder that I haven't posted a story on it until now.**


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